15732/Growing Pains

Growing Pains
Date of Scene:	27 August 2023
Location:	Happy Harbor Community Pool
Synopsis:	Billy and Irie clear the air. Without lightning!
Cast of Characters:	Billy Batson, Irie West

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Billy Batson has posed:
Billy Batson sits on a bnech by the pool and thinks furiously. What he thinks is the Hell with what Aunt Nettie says, he's sure as Hell cursed. His romantic life was never the greatest but this was simply beyond belief. Not to mention his choice of venue, the pool for various reasons. Well before his trip it was just a matter of nostalgia. He'd given Irie swimming lessons there, they hit it off, started holding hands. He remembers holding her in the water.

Stop it.

Concentrate on your questions. Be nice. He hugs the bag he brought with him.

Irie West has posed:
    "Hi Billy!" Irie calls out when she meets up with him at the swimming pool. She's already changed into her yellow one piece bathing suit, her hair tied back so it doesn't get into her eyes for when she'll finally go into the water.

    She sits herself down next to Billy and sees the dark mood that he's in. "Hey," she says gently. "Everything okay? We're supposed to be having fun, here. If there's something wrong, we can call it and do this some other day."

Billy Batson has posed:
Shazam looks at the petite redhead and tries to smile. "Noooooo... I have to talk to you. I... was really happy after we went on that little drive. So I couldn't sleep and a I went to the Moon to tire myself out. So I met Green Lantern, the younger one with the weird mask? We got to talking..."

Then because he can't be a total poker face he puts his arm on her shoulders. He's sure this will make her nervous. "He says you're actually like 12? Is that right? Because if he's punking me, I'll knock him through an asteroid. But I mean, weird things happen to our type. Look at me!"

Irie West has posed:
    Irie scowls at the question, and then lets out a long sigh. "How old I am changes depending on how you want to count it. I've been alive for eight years, but due to accelerated aging, physically I'm about eighteen, and legally I'm eighteen. Chronologically I'm, like, negative thirteen." She says this last with a smirk. "Physically, I've also been in my twenties and thirties due to the accelerated aging, but we got //that// fixed so I'm back to being a teenager, which is where I like it." She shakes her head in bewilderment. "I have no idea where Green Lantern got the number twelve from."

Billy Batson has posed:
Billy Batson nods. "Okay. So this is you, because I was thinking you switched back and forth the way I do. Eight hunh? Okay. You could at least see my concern. So, you got mature when you hit the teen years. Man I would love for the transformation to make me more mature. People have said I'm more mature than Billy Batson and that's saying something. I think he might have said a couple numbers. I was concerned with going to Hell and all. Okay. I had to ask. Are we still good?" He gives her shoulders a little squeeze." He is a little amused by her being affronted by being called an old lady of 13."

"Yeah, the age shift... it can be rough. I'm glad they caught it. Sometimes I wish /I/ could be Billy Batson, not the older guy." Then he gives her a peck on the cheek.

Irie West has posed:
    Irie rearranges herself and tucks her legs underneath her. "Yeah. I can totally see where that could be a concern." She grins when he gives her shoulders a squeeze and says, "I'm good if you're good."

    "Yeah. Suddenly becoming more mentally mature was... weird," she says. "Like, the weight of responsibility and the urge to do taxes laid heavy on my shoulders." She giggles and bumps her shoulder against Billy's.

Billy Batson has posed:
Billy Batson releases the girl for a moment, "With me... the Wizard says to say his name. I do an nothing happens. Then he tells me I have to say it with feeling, with a want to do good things and... there's this blaze of light. It clears and... my hands are huge," he waggles his hands for emphasis. "Not really any weight of responsibility. In fact Freddy and I went to a convenience store to buy some beer. that was where I threw that robber through a window I told you about."

"But yeah, I can understand how the age shift messes you up. I guess we understand each other. So please don't be angry with Green Lantern. He was trying to look out for you. Also... he may think you're still a little kid, like emotionally. On reflection, no one with the emotional maturity of an eight year old could make it through a day of high school." Billy takes Irie's hand.

Irie West has posed:
    Irie snickers. "Of course you went to buy some beer. Can Shazam even get drunk? I've never really tried. I mean, with my metabolism I'm sure that I'd be drunk for, like, all of a minute before my body metabolizes it." She shakes her head. "Not that I've had any alcohol. Except that one time that Donna let me try some Themysciran wine."

    Her brows furrow a bit. "I may act a little young for my age," she says slowly, "but I think that's mostly because I'm hyper and get excited real easily. I'm totally able to take things seriously. It's just that most times I don't want to." She shrugs. "I'll talk to him, and straighten things out."

Billy Batson has posed:
Billy Batson says, "I like that about you. You get so enthusiastic. So... did you ever continue with swimming lessons or have you been getting all your exercise running? Because... I'd like to give you another lesson and not worry about going to Hell. Oh here... I bought this as a peace offering though Green Lantern might need a peace offering more." He pulls a large teddy bear out of the bag, Maybe half Irie's size. "I figured this was a good gift no matter what your answers were."

Irie West has posed:
    "Ohmygosh!" Irie says her eyes going wide at the huge teddy bear. "I love it! It's going to get so wet, though. Better put it back in the bag."

    She shakes her head. "I haven't really been doing more lessons, but I've been practicing what you taught me in the Titan's pool. I can tread water, and I can swim!" Her cheeks flush red and she lets out a little chuckle, rubbing the back of her head. "It's more like a doggy paddle, though. But it gets me place to place if I'm not running on top of the water!"

Billy Batson has posed:
Billy Batson puts the bear back in the bag. "It would have been a Shazam bear but, the store didn't have that item. Rrr." He gets up and pulls his robe off. Red swim suit, of course. A little self conscious he limbers up his arms. Flexes. All that. Then holds his hand out to Irie. Really silly like she needs his help to sit, Fastest girl alive. But he thinks she likes it and it can initiate a hug.

Irie West has posed:
    "It's okay. I like it as it is," Irie says. She takes his hand to stand up and enters the hug, giving him a bit of a squeeze. "C'mon, let's go swimming!"